Cover for omnibuses and tram-cars.



F. H. BECK.

COVER FOR OMNIBUSES AND TBAM CARS.

APPHCATION FILED FEB. 2, I315.

Patented May16, 1916.

MHHHHHHHHWHHHWMWMH HHHHHT FRANKIHARVEY BECK, or BRONDESBURY, ENGLAND.

COVER FOR OMNIBUSES AND TRAM-CA3S Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented ii-lay 1 17, 1819165..

Application filedFebruary 2, 1915. Serial No. 5,737.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, FRANK HARVEY BECK, subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 14c Coverdale road, Brondesbury,

useful Improvements in Covers for Omnibuses and Tram-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention consists of the combination witha vehicle having an upper deck the greater part of which is provided with seats and is also provided with raised sides and a barrier across the front, there being a portion of the deck projecting beyond the barrier at the front forming a canopy for the driver, of a material, the lower ends of the said hooplike members being adapted to run on rails.

disposed along the outside of the upper edges of the raised sides, the forward ends of the rails upon which the hoop-like mem bers are mounted being either permanently bent downwardly into a substantially vertical position or adapted to be turned upon pivots into such a position so that when not required for use the hood can be moved intoa substantially horizontal position in which it rests upon the drivers canopy. Means are provided for raising the hood to a position for spreading it out over the vehicle, for which purpose a hinged hoop is arranged at the rear of the cover to apply the push or pull to the cover at about its center of weight.

In order that my invention may be more readily understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure l is a side elevation showing the upper deck of a motor omnibus with the canopy spread out over it. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the supports for the cover lowered so as to rest upon the canopy of the bus, the cover itself being omitted for the sake of clearness while the dotted lines indicate the cover in the act of being spread out, and Fig. 3 is a cross section through the upper deck of the bus showing the means for raising and lowering the hinged portion of the runners and the supports, mounted upon the inner front wall of the upper deck. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the side runner or rail.

Referring to the drawings, the cover 1 is in the county of Middlesex, England, have invented certain new and.

hood compris- I ing a series of hoop-like members arranged above the deck and covered with waterproof mounted upon a series of supports adapted to slide in runners 3 upon the side wall 4- of the upper deck of the bus, the front portions 5 of which runners are hinged at 6 so as to be capable of assuming the position shown in Fig. 1 when the cover is in use, 01' that shown in Fig. 2 when the cover is out of use and rests upon the canopy 7 in the front of the bus.

In order to raise the hinged portions 5 of the runners so that the cover 1 may be spread out as in Fig. 1, cords 8 are attached at one end to the hinged portions 5 at 9 and passed over pulleys l and 11 mounted upon the sides of the upper deck of the bus and are attached at their other ends to the drum 12 mounted upon the inside of the front wall 13. A suitable handle 1-1 is provided by means of which the drum 12 may be rotated to wind the cords 8 thereon, thereby raising the hinged portions of the runners to the position shown in Fig. l, and a pawl 15 is provided which engages in ratchet teeth 16 upon the drum in order to prevent this from unwinding, thus retaining the hinged portions 5 of the runners in the raised position. The supports 2 with the exception of the front one which is fixed to the front of the hinged parts 5, are caused to slide in the runners 3 for the pur pose of spreading out or closing up the cover by means of a pull or push applied through the medium of the arched tubular member 17 which is hinged to the rearmost support 2 at 18, and when in use assumes the position shown in the dotted lines in Fig. 2 and is maintained in this position by the links 19. A pull or push upon the cross bar of this member 17 will 'be applied to the cover 1 and its supports 2 at about their center of weight and thus enables the cover to be spread out -or closed up with a minimum of effort. When the cover is spread and in use the retaining strap holds the arched member 17 up against the rearmost support 2 as shown in Fig 1. When desired to lower the hinged portions 5 of the runners and the supports 2 to the position shown in Fig. 2, the pawl 15 is released allowing the drum 12 to unwind, thus permitting the hinged portions 5 of the runners to turn about their pivots 6 and lower the supports 2 on to the canopy 7 of the bus.

The runners 3 are of double channel section as shown in Fig. 5 and the lower side of the supports .2 are provided each with an inwardly extending spindle to carry a roller 21 which runs in the channels of the runners.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A cover for vehicles comprising in combination, rails disposed at the sides of the vehicle top, said rails having a hinged portion at the forward end which can be turned into a substantially vertical position, hoops running upon said rails and provided with anti-friction devices at their lower ends, means for securing the forward hoop against rearward movement along the rails a covering of waterproof material extending over the hoops, means for raising and lowering the hinged ends of the rails comprising cords or wires connected to the free ends of the pivoted portions, guide pulleys over which the said wires run and winding means for operating said wires to raise or lower the hinged portion of the runners, and means located at the rearward end, for straining the devices rearwardly.

2. A cover for vehicles comprising in combination rails disposed at the sides of the vehicle top, said rails having a hinged portion at the forward end which can be turned into a substantially vertical position, hoops running upon said rails and provided with anti-friction devices at their lower ends, means for securing the forward hoops against rearward movement along the rails, an auxiliary hoop hinged to the forward hoop. and adapted to incline forwardly therefrom when the cover is spread, a covering of waterproof material extending over the hoops and means, located at the rearward Copies 01 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the tion at the forward end which can be turned in to a substantially vertical position, hoops running upon said rails and provided with anti-friction devices at their lower ends, means for securing the forward hoops against rearward movement along the rails auxiliary hoops hinged respectively to the forward and rear-most hoops and adapted to incline respectively forwardly and rearwardly when the cover is spread, a covering of waterproof material extending over the hoops and means, located at the rearward end, for straining the device rearwardly, means. for raising and lowering the hinged ends of the rails comprising cords or wires connected to the free ends of the pivoted portions guide pulleys over which the said wires run and winding means for operating said wires to raise or lower the hinged portion of the runners.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK HARVEY BECK.

Witnesses:

G. F. RAYNER, FRANK W. PATTISON.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

